15 July

(UTC+1)

Events on this day in the life of Manfred von Richthofen

Observer at Mackensen

Der rote Kampfflieger von Rittmeister Manfred Freiherrn von Richthofen, 1917, 351.000 – 400.000, Verlag Ullstein & Co, Berlin-Wien??p. ??

15 July 1915
near Lviv
Rawa Ruska

‘As an observer I might have been quite suitable in my capacity as a cavalryman; for after a fortnight I was sent out, to my great joy, to the only place where we still had a war of movement, namely Russia. Mackensen was just making his triumphal march. He had broken through at Gorlice, and I joined him as we took Rawa Ruska. One day in the army airfield, then I came to the famous Abt. 69, where I felt colossally stupid as a beginner. My guide was a ‘cannon’ – First Lieutenant Zeumer – who was already crooked and lame. Of the others, I’m the only one still alive today. This was actually my best time. It was very similar to the cavalry. Every day, in the mornings and afternoons, I was able to fly my reconnaissance. I brought home many a nice report.’

Ovation from the city of Courtrai

Ein Heldenleben, Ullstein & Co, 1920??p. 153??

15 July 1917
exact date?
Kortrijk

“For a while, I had set up my field of activity close to the city of Courtrai and had been working there for quite some time. Then, around mid-July, the following happened: The English, and to a large extent also the French, flew to Courtrai at night and bombarded the city. Courtrai has about thirty thousand inhabitants and is the city with the most millionaires. No fewer than one hundred and fifteen people of this class live there. One can imagine that, as a result, the city makes a very pleasant impression from the outside, with so many chimneys piling up. However, our opponents seemed to take particular pleasure in paying these gentlemen frequent visits at night. They usually missed their targets. Occasionally they hit something, but then it was always the Belgians. I myself stood in front of a Belgian house that had collapsed like a house of cards after being hit by one of these French bombs. No fewer than fifteen Belgians had been killed in this house. Now voices were raised among the population who were not very happy with the behaviour of their dear allies. A large number of these insolent bomb throwers always had to pay the price, and so I shot one such customer towards morning. He had just come from Courtrai, where he had once again wreaked havoc among the inhabitants. One occupant was dead, the other shot and slightly wounded; he was taken to a military hospital in Courtrai.

The following day, the following occurred: the inhabitants had found out that this prisoner was not an Englishman, but a Belgian, who came from Courtrai itself and now, with his extensive knowledge of the area, was greeting his hometown and its dear citizens with bombings. This had rightly caused great outrage. So a group of men with flags, dressed solemnly in top hats and black coats, went to the commandant’s office and asked for the offender to be handed over. Of course, their request was denied, which only increased the anger among the population. They then asked for permission to at least give their saviour, namely me, an ovation for shooting down this fellow. I only found out about this later.”

Excerpt of Prof. Busch’s Notations

Käte Oltersdorf and Manfred von Richthofen – Her ‘restless’ patient. – Lance Bronnenkant and Reinhard Schröder – 2025 Aeronaut Books??p. 122??

15 July 1917
Lazaret 76 (Sint-Niklaas Hospital)
Kortrijk

“Drawing of the Rittmstr. completed in the morning. The nurses visited Markebeke…went back to Courtrai with the nurses at 5:00 p.m. and began a new portrait of Richthofen.”

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